Vending-calinet for collapsible drinking-cups or the like.



W. E. SWlFT. vENDlNG CABINET foR COLLAPSIBLE DRINKING CUPS 0R THE UKE.

APPLICATION FYILED DEC.2. 1912.

Patented Mar. 19,1918.

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UNiTED srATEsrArENr OFFICE.

WILT-ARD E. SWIFT, OF WORCESTER, I\IASSACHUSETTS,'ASSIGNOR TO UNITED'STATES ENVELOPE COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION 0F' MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed December 2, 1912. Serial No. 734,440.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLARD E. Swim', a citizen of the United States, residing at lVorcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vending-Cabinets for Collapsible Drinking- Cups or the like, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawing, is a specification.

My invention relates to vending cabinets for collapsible drinking cups or the like and more particularly to cabinets of this class provided with an improved form of coin controlled mechanism for projecting the cups from the cabinet.

An object of the invention is to provide such a cabinet with an improved form of coin controlled mechanism that will be certain to project a predetermined number of cups from the cabinet for each coin cleposited.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coin controlled mechanism Vof the type indicated which shall be simple in construction so as not to get out of order easily, but which shall, at the same time, be eiicient and certain in its operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a front elevation of one form of the invention, certain details being shown by broken lines; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the formof invention shown in Fig. 1, certain details being shown by broken lines; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4k is a vertical sectional View on the line 4--4 of Fig. l; and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Lilie reference characters refer to vsimilar parts in the different figures.

The upper portion 1 ofthe cabinet is of a suitable size and shape to accommodate a stack of collapsible drinking cups 2, or the like, the stack of cups being supported by a `slanting arm 3 attached rigidly at its forward e'nd to a iixed'portion of the cabinet. Below the stack of cups in the base of the lcabinet is supported in suitable bearings a shaft 4, carrying a pair of cup feeding members 5 secured to the shaftby set screws 6, Each cup feeding member 1sA preferably circular and carries at its periphery, preferably atl two diametrically opposite points thereof, two friction pads 7 of soft rubber, or other suitable material, for engaging and moving the cups in succession from the stack toward the opening 8.

The individual cups 2 are supported in a rearwardly and downwardly slanting position by the similarly slanting armor support 8, as shown in Fig. 3. so that a rotation of the shaft 4 andthe feeding members 5 will cause the pads 7 to come into contact with the lower cup 2 of the stack and move it rearwardly and downwardly by friction through the space between the feeding members 5 and a guideway 9 until the cup being fed has passed along the guideway 9 so far as to be beyondv the reach of the pads 7. In order that the rear wall of the cabinet may more easily divert the lower cup into the space back of the feeding members 5, the arm 3 is convex upwardly or, in other words, its free end is curved downwardly and spaced from the rear wall of the cabinet. This allows the rear portion ofthe lower cup to be curved downwardly by the pressure of the cups above it so as to meet the rear wall of the cabinet at a more acute angle. The guideway 9 is given a considerable slant downwardly and forwardly so that, after a cup has left the feeding members, it will slide along the guideway and through the opening 8 until yit strikes a fiange or stop 10 at the bottom of the guideway, the cup then being in such positionV that it may be easily picked up. y

The friction of the supportV or arm 3 upon the under face of the lower cup 2 tends to retard the feeding of the cup and, in order that there may not be any appreciable turningmoment caused by the action of this arm 3 and the feeding members, the

arm 3 is located under the center of the stack of cups and the feeding members are spaced at equal distances upon each side of the arm 3, the turning moment exerted upon the lower'cup by one of the feeding members being neutralized by that exerted by the other feeding member. The second cup 2 from the bottom of the stack, that is, the cup next above the one being fed, has a tendency, of course, to be fed also by the friction between the two, but this friction is substantially equaled byV the friction be" tween the 'former cup and the one lying against its upper face, and all movement of :the second cup withthe-lower one is prevented by the lower rear edge of the second cup striking against the back wall of the cabinet, as shown at 11 in Fig. 3. rlhe feeding members 5 and the arm3 are in such relative positions that rotation of the feedinggmembers bythe shaft 4 will carry the A members 'be always rotated in the directionlindicated by .the `arrow 12, shown in VF .3that is, ina direction to .feed the lower `cup ,properly for, if Y these Afeeding members were ,rotatedin-the. opposite direction, they would tend to displace and damage the, cupsat .the bottom of the stack. In order to obtainthe desired result, a

Vcircular disk 13 is attached rigidly to the shaft 4 soas to` rotate therewith. rl`his cir- 4culardisk13 is inclosed by a shell 14 in- .cloSing a circular space 15 within which the disk 13 rotates. The shell 14 is located ec- .centrically with respect to the disk 13 and .is secured firmly in fixed position against vtheframework of the cabinet. A small ball lies with-in thespace 15 between the periphery of lthe .disk 13 and the inner wall of theshell .14. lt is obvious that .the ball 16 will not prevent rotation of the disk 13 andthe shaft 4 .ink the direction proper for feedingv the cups, but, if it is attempted to turnthe shaft in the opposite direction, the ball 16 will `wedge between the disk 13 and the shell 14 so as to preventsuch rotation of the shaft. A stop 17 is provided to retain the ball 16 in the proper position to perform its function.

Aspring 18, having one end attached rigidlyto the frame -of thek cabinet, has .a .flat free end which pressestirmly against a cam 19 carried rigidly upon the shaft k4. ,T his cam 19 has two flat faces 20 which are substantially parallel with each other and also with the diameters of the feeding members 5 which pass through thefriction pads 7. The pressure of the free end of the spring 18 against the flat faces 20 of the -cam 19 tends to hold the yshaft 4 normally in 4such position that the friction pad 7Y is j Lista-bout to engage the lower cup 2. When the shaft 4 is rotated to feed a cup, the freeend of the spring 18 will yield to allow the cam 19, shaft 4 and feeding membersf to rotate, butafter these rotating parts have turned through 4a half revolution, the free end .of the spring 18 will engage the other flat face 20 of the cam 19 and tendk to stop further rotation. nIt is obvious `fromgl ig. .3 that such a half revolution of thefeeding members '5, issuliicient to` feedthe ,lowermost cup fromm-11e.stackthroughcthecopeningf All 'way 9 `frein the o feeding members o vstop V.10.

is completed, the pressure of the spring 1S against the advancing edge of the face 20, which is approaching the spring, causes the cam together with the shaft 4-and feeding members 5 to jump forward slightly until the face 20 rests fiatly against tie free end ofthe spring. v,This causes a slight throw or impetus to be given to the cup being fed just as it leaves the feeding members, so that. the cup is not dependent solely upen gravity to insure its passage along the guidinto tie 'lhecabinet is designed primarily for .use Vin 'various public vplaces where there is a demand for' drinking cups, or the like, and where it is `desiredthat a predetermined number of cups, usually one, be delivered by the .cabinet in return for a coin deposited therein.

-As` a means for rotatingvthe shaft 41 hollow cylinder 21 having one end closed and provided with a knurled edge Vis provided. This hollow cylinder incloses a cylindrical enlargement 23 on the shaft 4=and is adapted to rotate within a casing 24 attached to the frame of the cabinet by a flange 25. rl`he cylinder 21 is secured in place between the enlargement 23 and the casing 24 by a nut 21a screwed onto the threaded end ofthe shaft 4, Vwhich extends through an opening in the closed end of the cylinder. lThe end of the shaft 4 fits loosely in this opening so as to permit the cylinder to rotate independently of the shaft.

The hollow cylinder 21 is provided with one or more slots 26, of suitable size to .receivea coin 27 of some particular denomination, such as one cent. These slots 26 are arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis-of the shaft and in the same plane with these slots are one or more-shallow' slots or `depressions 28 in the enlargement23. The casing 24 is provided withk a coin slot 29 in the plane of the slots 26 and 28. By4 dropping a suitable coin into kthe coin slot 29 and turning the cylinder 21 until lone of its slots 26 is in register with the coin-slot 29,1the coin will drop- .through the slot .26 until it strikes the bottom of one of the :slots -28 in the enlargement 23, the slots 28 being so located (in the enlargement 23 that the spring 18 and cam19 will -hold tone of the slots 28 `directly under the coin slot 29 at all times except when the shaft is being rotated to .feed `a cup. rllhe difference between the radial distance ofthe bottoms of the slots v28 from the axis of the shaft 4 and enlarge .ment 23 andthe radial .distance of theinner facefoftheca'sing 24;;andthe same axisis tbe same aas, .or ,slightly vgreater ...the

.rliaanetersefathefeminin-.beamed It will be seen from Fig. 4 that, when the cylinder 2l is rotated by turning the knurled edge 22, the coin extending through the slots 26 and 28 will act as a lock to prevent relative rotation of the cylinder 21 and enlargement 23 and that, therefore, the enlargement 23 together with the shaft 4 and other parts carried thereby will be rotated to feed a cup.

Another slot is provided in the bottom of the casing 24 and in the plane of the slots 26 and 28 so that, after the cylinder 21 and enlargement 23 have been rotated through a half revolution to feed a cup, the coin will drop out of the slots 26 and 28 through the slot 30 into a coin receptacle 31. A shoulder or stop 32 is provided on the inner wall of the casing 24 and, if the coin does not drop out of the cylinder 21 and enlargement 23,

it will strike against this stop and preventy further revolution of the parts and a consequent feeding of a second cup. Inasmuch,

however, as a linevconnecting the trailingend of the slot 26 containing the coin with the advancing end of the corresponding slot 28 cuts off less than half the coin, the pressures exerted upon the coin by these Aportions of the two slots will tend to'force the coin outwardly against the inner face of the casing 24, or through the slot 30 when this latter slot is reached by the coin. A second shoulder or stop 33 is provided on the inner face of the casing 24 just back of the coin slot 29, and a backward rotation of the enlargement 23 and cylinder 21 is prevented when a coin is in place in the slots thereiny by the coin striking against this shoulder or stop 33. The shoulder 33 coperates effectively with the shell 14 and the parts inclosed thereby in preventing backward rotation of the feeding members 5. Vhen no coin is in any of the slots, of course the cylinder 21 may rotate in either direction without any effect on any of the other parts of the mechanism.

In order that the support or. arm 3, the various members carried by the shaft 4, and the lowermost cups within the receptacle may be reached for purposes of adjustment, etc., the space containing these parts is inclosed by a pivoted cover 34 secured in closed position by a lock 35. A hinged cover 36 for the upper portion of the cabinet containing the stack of cups is provided and is secured in closed position by a lock 37.

While I have described in detail one form of my invention for the purpose of illustrating the principle thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details described as certain changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention; but having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A cabinet for collapsible drinking cups or like articles, comprising a rotatable article feeding means, means for rotating said feeding means in one direction to deliver articles from the cabinet, and means, comprising a stationary member, surrounding and disposed eccentrically to the shaft of said feeding means, and a coperating friction device confined between said member and said shaft for preventing reverse rotation of said feeding means.

Dated this 26th day of November 1912.

WILLARD E. VSVIF T.

Witnesses PENELOPE COMBERBACH, NELLIE WHALBN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

